Best New Artist – JMSN [Detroit, MI]

JMSN (pronounced ‘Jameson’) is an up-and-coming lo-fi R&B act hailing from Detroit, Michigan (real name Christian Berishaj). He previously performed under the pseudonym ‘Christian TV‘, where he sang electro-pop, party-oriented songs that helped him gain success on the Billboard charts. And before that, he used to front a pop-rock band named ‘Love Arcade‘; he wrote and recorded (and played all of the instruments of) their debut album in 2007 when he was only 18. Now, with all of that jumbled, poppy musical past behind him, Christian is using his smooth vocals to front JMSN, a one-man project that features dark, lo-fi R&B which he also happens to produce himself. Think of The Weeknd, Justin Timberlake, and James Blake bundled up into one sound. I’m glad this type of music is continuing to come out; R&B is only getting better after a few past years of the same old, formulaic-as-fuckness of the genre, and it’s making me ecstatic because it’s my favorite genre. Since January 11th, JMSN’s debut album Priscilla has been out. You can stream the album here, and, if you like what you hear, download it here. Check out his self-directed video for “Alone” below.